London 2012 Olympics: Sir Chris Hoy peddles positive vibes as track events get underway with chance of another glory

Qualification in the much-anticipated four-man, 4km team pursuit takes place on day one on the track, with medals available in the three-man, three-lap team sprint and in the corresponding women’s event.

Hoy and Jason Kenny won team sprint gold in Beijing and are bidding to defend their title alongside newcomer Philip Hindes.

The event has been troublesome for Britain since 2008 and the trio were off the pace at April’s Track Cycling World Championships, when Hindes was relegated for a takeover infringement as Britain missed out on a medal-round ride.

Hoy said: “Since the worlds it has gone incredibly well and we have made significant strides. We are going to be at our best since Beijing. The teams are so close that any medal would be an achievement, but that’s not saying we are not looking to win gold. It is so close between the top teams that if you are in the mix you can win any colour.”

Like Britain, Germany were relegated in Melbourne as Australia won gold, France silver and New Zealand bronze.

Regulations limiting the number of competitors per event meant Kenny was selected ahead of Hoy in the individual sprint, which begins on Saturday, but France and Germany have exploited a loophole in International Cycling Union regulations to select an additional sprinter in their track teams.

Mickael Bourgain started the opening day road race for France, withdrawing after less than three kilometres, and Robert Forstemann has been named by Germany for the closing weekend’s mountain bike event.

It means the duo can come into their team sprint squads as a fresh rider, giving France and Germany an advantage with three rounds in close proximity.

Hoy added: “It is very close between ourselves, France and Germany, who have picked riders in other events that they can move across to the sprint which makes a bit of a mockery of the UCI rules, and Australia.”

Hoy has often been the victim of UCI rule changes. His first Olympic gold was in Athens in the 1km time-trial, but the event was removed from the Games programme prior to Beijing, when he claimed an astounding three gold medals - in sprint, team sprint and keirin. Kenny was second to Hoy in the sprint in China and was selected ahead of his compatriot for London.

“I put it to bed a long time ago, you accept the UCI make decisions out of the blue, you expect the unexpected with them,” said Hoy of the regulation changes.

“There are decisions made that I don’t think are for the benefit of the sport. All you can do as an athlete is speak out when those decisions are made and then get on with it, accept it and move on.

“They said they wanted the sport to be global and to encourage other smaller nations to get involved. I agree with that but cyclists feel frustrated when other sports don’t have to take events out to get another one into the Games.”

Hoy had no qualms about Kenny’s selection ahead of him, despite now missing out on the chance to defend one of his Olympic titles. Hoy added: “If he gets on the top step of the podium I will feel proud because I will have been part of that journey to push him on a bit and inspire him to work a bit harder, as he has certainly inspired me to work a bit harder.

“I would love to be defending all three titles but now I can focus on my two events and it takes the pressure of the workload down a notch. It is one less thing to worry about.”

Hoy’s events book-end the competition, with the keirin, an event in which he is world champion, taking place next Tuesday.

First up is the team sprint and Hoy, who first took part in the Olympics aged 23 in Sydney, knows he will need to support 19-year-old Hindes.

“I had a similar role to him in Sydney,” Hoy said. “We had been second in the previous worlds and there was an expectation on us but it’s not easy, you want to be the best you can be.

“There is no such thing as an Olympics without pressure. Whether you are going into your fourth Games after being successful or for a young man in his first Games.

“He (Hindes) will just do his lap and get out of the way and he can break it down into little stepping stones in the race and hopefully he will enjoy it and not just get through it.”

Jack Bobridge will be a key member of Australia’s team pursuit squad on Thursday and Friday.

He said: “We haven’t come here to run second or third, we’ve come here to win. I believe it’ll be the 3:50 or 3:51 mark that’ll take the gold medal.”